Railway motor truck



, 1939 6 Sheets-Sheet l Ill W. H. MEYER RAILWAY MOTOR TRUCK Filed June15 Oct. 14, 1941.

INVENTOR WILLIAM H. MEYER BY M ATTORNEY.

Oct. 14, 1941'. w. H. MEYER 2,258,657

RAILWAY MOTOR TRUCK Filed June 15, 1939 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 l l\ m WILLIAMH. MEYER BY ATTORNEY.

Oct. 14, 1941 w. H. MEYER RAILWAY MOTOR TRUCK Filed June 15, 1939 6Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 8.

INVENTOR WILLIAM H. MEYER BY @04 ATTORNEY Oct. 14, 1941. w, MEYERRAILWAY MOTOR TRUCK Filed June 15, 1939 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG. 10.

JNVENTOR WKLLIAM H. MEYER BY 43%,

flwzzzq ATTORNEY Oct. 14, 1941. w. H. MEYER 2,258,657

RAILWAY MOTOR TRUCK Filed June 15, 1959 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. 13.

INVENTOR WILLIAM H. MEYER BY Cdv M ATTORNEY.

Oct. 14, 1941. w. H. MEYER RAILWAY MOTOR TRUCK Filed June 15, 1939 6Sheets-Sheet 6 FIG. 14.

FIG. 15.

INVENTOR WILLIAM H. MEYER BY ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 14, 1941 RAILWAYMOTOR TRUCK William H. Meyer, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to General SteelCastings Corporation, Granite City, 111., a corporation of DelawareApplication June 15, 1939, Serial No. 279,248

12 Claims.

The invention relates to railway rolling stock and more particularly torailway trucks of the type which includes axle driving motors andconduits for delivering air to the motors to cool the same. Usually aircompressors or blowers are carried by the vehicle body mounted on thetrucks and a problem arises in conducting the air from the vehicle bodyto the motors in the trucks.

Heretofore such trucks have included air passageways leading from thebody uhderframe through the truck center plate into the truck bolsterand then into an air passageway formed in the truck frame and then tothe motor housing, there being flexible connections between the bolsterand the truck frame and between the truck frame and the motor housing toaccommodate relative movement of these parts particularly, as is usuallythe case, Where the bolster is mounted upon springs supported from thetruck frame by swing hangers.

In this type of truck it is desirable to use elliptic springs but toallow for the swinging of the truck bolster and to obtain suflicientclearance between that portion of the bolster forming an air passagewayand the inner end portions of the elliptic springs it has been deemednecessary to locate the swing hangers at the outer side of the framewheel pieces and to extend the cross bolsters laterally beneath thewheel pieces and, accordingly, to utilize straight equalizers betweenthe axles. Such outside swing hanger arrangement is not adapted for theuse of equalizers depressed between their ends and the bolster springsmust be located at a lower level than is necessary when inside swinghangers are used it the standard heights above the rail for the truckframe and center plate are to be maintained.

One object of the present invention is to simplify and reduce the weightand cost and maintenance expense of a swing hanger truck with airpassageways to the motors.

Another object of the invention is to make the air passage from thetruck bolster center plate to the motors of substantial cross sectionand to avoid sharp angles or bends and thereby to reduce resistance tothe current of air.

Another object of the invention is to provide ample clearance betweenthe bolster springs and the rail and other truck parts.

Another object of the invention is to provide for the use in a truck ofthis general type of depressed or drop equalizers and inside swinghangers.

These general objects and other more specific objects are attained inthe structures illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which- Figure1 is a top view of one longitudinal half of a six wheel motor truckembodying one form of the invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation and longitudinal vertical section taken onthe line 22 of Figure 1.

Figures 3, 4 and 5 are vertical transverse sections taken on thecorresponding section lines of Figure 2, Figure 3 showing a portion ofthe vehicle underframe,

Figure 6 is a top view of a substantial part of a similar truckembodying another form of the invention.

Figure 7 is a longitudinal vertical section taken on the line 'l'l ofFigure 6.

Figure 8 is a transverse vertical section taken on the line 8-8 ofFigure 6.

Figures 9, l2 and 14 correspond to Figure 6 but illustrate differentforms of the invention.

Figures l0, l3 and 15 correspond to Figure 7 but are taken on thecorresponding section lines of Figures 9, l2 and 14 respectively.

Figure 11 corresponds to Figure 8 but is taken on section line I l--H ofFigure 9.

The truck illustrated in Figures 1 to 5 inclusive includes wheels I,axles 2, motors for driving the end axles, the housings of which motorsare indicated at 3, journal boxes 4, depressed equalizers 5 extendingbetween adjacent journal boxes, coil springs B seated on the equalizersand supporting the truck frame. All of this structure is of familiarform.

The truck frame includes wheel pieces 1, resting upon the truck springs6, and transverse transoms each comprising a pair of lower elements 8and 9 respectively extending inwardly from the wheel pieces and thenextending downwardly and then transversely of the truck. The outermember of the transom also includes an upper element I0 extendingbetween the wheel pieces and at substantially the same level. Suspendedfrom the upper end portions of the transom members are swing hangers II.The lower ends of each pair of hangers are connected by a cross bar l2,and a spring plank I3 extends between the cross bars l2 at oppositesides of the truck. Elliptical springs l4 are seated upon spring planksI3 and mount the truck bolster which consists of a central portionprovided with a center plate l5, arms i5 extending longitudinally of thetruck, and cross bolsters H at the outer ends of arms l6 and spaced fromcenter plate l5 and extending alongside transom element l0 and above thelevel 01' transom elements 8 and 9 and resting upon springs l4. Sidebearing brackets [8 project outwardly and upwardly from bolster arm I6.

The above described general arrangement is well known in the artalthough some of the parts described possess novel details.

Center plate is of hollow construction and is adapted to receive airfrom a blower mounted on the vehicle underframe U as has been previouslydisclosed, for example, in Sheehan Patent 1,634,307 issued July 5, 1927.Ducts I9 lead downwardly and longitudinally of the truck from beneathcenter plate l5 and terminate in outlets facing towards the end of thetruck.

A conduit 2| leads from each duct I!) over transom element 8, and springplank l3, and is connected to a duct 22 extending longitudinally andtransversely of the truck (see Figure 1) to an opening provided in thecorresponding motor housing 3 at a point on the latter near the adjacentwheel piece 1. Duct 22 may be rigid with motor housing 3 and considereda part thereof for the purposes of this disclosure. Preferably conduit2| has bellows connections 23 to ducts I9 and 22.

The motors are supported upon axles 2 and upon springs 24 mounted onbrackets 25 on the adjacent transom elements 9 in a well known mannerwhereby the inner end of the motor may move vertically relative to thetruck frame. Bolster I5-I6-|1-|3 moves vertically relative to the truckframe due to the action of springs l4 and moves transversely of thetruck frame due to the swinging action of hangers N. All of suchmovements are accompanied by movement of elements l9. 2| and 22 relativeto the transom and these parts are proportioned and arranged to provideadequate clearance between them and between the air conduit andpassageways and the inner ends of springs l4.

Figures 6, 7 and 8 illustrate a form of the in- 12 vention in which theswing hangers 26 are suspended from brackets 2'! at the outside of theframe wheel pieces 28. This arrangement positions the leaf springs 29substantially farther from the longitudinal center line of the truckthan the springs in the structure previously described. The air passagefrom bolster center plate 30 to motor 3| is through a bolsterlongitudinal arm 32 and a portion of the bolster transverse arm 33 and aduct 34 depending from arm 33. A relatively short conduit 35 flexiblyconnects the discharge outlet of duct 34 with the inlet of the motorhousing. The truck frame transom elements 36 and 3'! correspond toelements 9 and Ill in the structure previously described and are spacedfrom each other to accommodate conduit 35.

This construction eliminates the additional depending passagewaystructure at the center of the bolster as previously described and alsoavoids the necessity of an elongated and transversely extending conduitstructure as indicated at 2| and 22 in Figure l, the relatively shortbellows type conduit 35 directly connecting the end of passageway in thebolster and a portion of the motor housing adjacent to the truck framewheel piece.

Figures 9, l0 and '11 illustrate another form of the invention. in whichthe swing hangers 4'!) are suspended from the elevated ends of thetransom elements 4| and 42 at the inner side of the frame wheel pieces43. The middle portion of transom element 42 is. of sufficient depth toprovide necessary strength for bracing the wheel pieces andv carryingthe motor 44.

The air passageway leads from center plate 45 through the bolsterlongitudinal arm 46 and across the bolster transverse arm 41 to anoutlet at the same level as the major portion of the bolster and of theframe wheel pieces 43. This outlet is connected to the motor housing atthe same level by a bellows type conduit 48 similar to that shown inFigures 6-8. While this conduit is not positioned inwardly of thebolster springs 49 as in both of the constructions previously describedit clears the bolster springs by passing over the inwardly projectingportions thereof and also clears the top of transom element 42 so as toavoid interference with the relative movement of the bolster and motorrelative to the truck frame and bolster springs.

Figures 12 and 13 illustrate a truck in which a frame, bolstersupporting structure, bolster and motor are constructed and arrangedsimilarly to the truck shown in Figures 9-11 but transom element 5B isof greater depth and its top is at a greater height above the rail. Theair is led from an upwardly facing outlet 5! in the bolster to anupwardly facing inlet 52 in the motor housing by a conduit 53 whichextends upwardly above the level of the bolster and the truck frame,passing over transom element 5|! and discharging downwardly to inlet 52through a flex ible connection 54. If desired conduit 53 could be formedintegral with the bolster.

In some equipment there is ample room between the top of the truck frameand the bottom of the vehicle underframe to accommodate a conduit ofthis type and where such an arrangement may be used the problem ofclearing the truck transom and the bolster springs is readily solved bythe structure described.

Figures 14 and 15 illustrate another truck in which the air passagewayleads from beneath center plate 60 through a duct 6| extendinglongitudinally and upwardly and positioned on the longitudinal centerline of the truck and terminating in an outlet facing towards the end ofthe truck. A separately formed rigid conduit 62 is flexibly connected tothe outlet duct 6! and to a longitudinally facing inlet in a duct 53provided on the motor housing. Conduit E2 passes over the bolstertransverse arm 64 and over the deep transom element 65 and there is noproblem attending the clearance of the bolster springs 05.

In all forms of the invention the air passageway from the truck centerplate to the motor includes a conduit independent of the transom andpasses over transom elements extending between the wheel pieces andclears all the transom parts and the bolster springs and associatedstructure. The structure avoids sharp offsets and varying cross sectionsof the conduit as present in previous structure where the conduit isformed as a part of the transom and the structure also eliminatessliding. connections between the trainsom and the bolster as has beenused previously to form a continuousv conduit between theswlng bolsterand] the truck frame transom;

The arrangement. is adapted. for numerous combinations of, passagewaysformed in the botster itself and various connections between the airpassageway in the bolster and the' motorso that almost any arrangementof the truck frame, bolster suspension and vehicleundertrame may beaccommodated.

While the structure illustrated in the drawings is embodied in 6 wheeltrucks it may also be embodied in 4 wheel trucks with swing. holsterswith slight modifications and the details of the bolster and transomstructure and the connection between the bolster and the motor may bemodified in other ways than indicated without departing from the spiritof the invention and the exclusive use of such modifications as comewithin the scope of th claims is contemplated.

What is claimed is:

1. In a railway truck, a frame including wheel pieces and a transversetransom having an element extending between said wheel pieces, swinghangers pivotally suspended from said frame, elongated leaf springscarried by said swing hangers and extending inwardly of the frame fromsaid wheel pieces, a bolster at one side of said transom and mounted onsaid springs and movable thereon relative to said hangers and frame andmovable with said hangers and springs relative to said frame andincluding an air passage, an axle driving motor at the other side ofsaid transom, and a conduit, extending at the level of and between saidsprings and over said element and movable independently of said transomand leading from said bolster air passage to a, portion of said motoradjacent to the side of the truck.

2. In a railway six wheel truck, a frame including a transverse transomhaving a horizontal opening extending therethrough longitudinally of thetruck, a bolster overlying the middle axle of the truck and being at onesid of said transom and movable relative thereto and including an airpassage, an axle driving motor at the other side of said transom and aconduit movable with said bolster independently of said transom andleading from said bolster air passage through said transom opening tosaid motor.

3. In a railway six wheel truck, a frame including a transverse transomhaving verticall spaced top and bottom members extending from side toside of the truck frame, a bolster overlying the middle axle of thetruck and being at one side of said transom and movable relative theretoand includin an air passage, an axle driving motor at the other side ofsaid transom, and a conduit movable with said bolster and motorindependently of said transom and extending from said bolster airpassage between said top and bottom members to said motor.

4. In a railway truck, a frame including wheel pieces, a pair ofadjacent transom elements extending inwardly and downwardly from one ofsaid wheel pieces and transversely of the truck and then upwardly andoutwardly to the other wheel piece, swing hangers pivotally suspendedfrom the elevated end portions of said transom elements, leaf springsmounted on the swinging ends of said swing hangers and extendinginwardly of said frame between said elements, a bolster including acenter plate at one side of said pair of transom elements and an armextending therefrom longitudinally of the truck over the inner of saidelements and supporting the bolster on said springs, said bolsterforming an air passageway including an inlet through said center plateand an outlet adjacent the outer of said transom elements, an axledriving motor at the side of said transom elements opposite saidbolster, and a separately formed air conduit leading from said bolsterto said motor and clearing said transom elements.

5. In a railway six wheel truck, a frame including a transverse transom,a lateral motion bolster having a center plate over the middle axle ofthe truck and an arm extending therefrom longitudinally of the truck anda cross bolster at the end of said arm and between the middle axle andan end axle and extending along one side of said transom, an axledriving motor at the opposite side of said transom, there being an airpassageway formed by said center plate, arm and cross bolster, and aconnection clearing said transom between said motor and the portion ofsaid cross bolster forming a part of said passageway.

6. In a railway truck, three wheeled axles, a frame carried thereby andincluding transverse transom elements, motors mounted on the end axlesand said transom elements, a lateral motion bolster carried by said framand including a hollow center plate positioned over the middle axle, anair passageway leading downwardly from said center plate to one side ofthe middle axle and then longitudinally of the truck, at the level ofsaid middle axle, to the adjacent motor and clearing the intermediatetransom elements.

7. A truck as described in claim 6 which includes swing hangerssuspended from the ends of said transom elements and elongated leafsprings extending inwardly therefrom and also cleared by the airpassageway.

8. In a railway truck, a frame including a transverse transom, an axledriving motor at one side of said transom, a bolster at the other sideof said transom and movable relative thereto and including a hollowcenter plate and a cross bolster spaced therefrom and mounted on saidframe, there being an air conduit extending from said hollow centerplate over said cross bolster to said motor.

9. In a railway truck, a frame including a. transverse transom, an axledriving motor at one side of said transom, a bolster at the other sideof said transom and movable relative thereto and including a hollowcenter plate, spaced longitudinal arms, a transverse arm at the outerend of said longitudinal arms and mounted on the truck frame, and an airconduit leading from said bolster between said longitudinal arms andupwardly and over said transverse arm to said motor.

10. In a railway truck, a frame including a transom having an elementextending from one side of the truck to the other, a lateral motionbolster at one side of said transom provided with a center plate andhaving an air passageway leading from the center plate, an axle at theother side of said transom. a motor housing carried on said axle andtransom, and an air conduit leading from an outlet in said bolsterpassageway and over said transom element to said motor housing, therebeing flexible connections at the ends of said conduit, one connectionbeing fixed to said bolster and the other connection being fixed to saidhousing whereby inclination of said conduit with respect to said bolsterand housing resulting from relative movements of said bolster andhousing transversely and vertically of the truck is accomodated.

11. In a railway truck, a frame including wheel pieces and. a transversetransom having an element extending between said wheel pieces, swinghangers pivotally suspended from said frame, elongated leaf springscarried. by said swing hangers and extending inwardly of the frame fromsaid wheel pieces, a bolster at on side of said transom and having alongitudinal extension mounted on said springs and movable thereonrelative to said hangers and frame and movable with said hangers andsprings relative to said frame, said bolster including an air passage,

an axle driving motor at the other side of said transom, and a conduitextending at the level of said springs and over said element andpositioned between said springs and the longitudinal center line of thetruck and being movable independently of said transom and leading fromsaid bolster air passage to a portion of said motor close to the side ofthe truck and adjacent to the inner end of one of said bolster springs.

12. In a railway truck, a frame including wheel pieces and spacedtransverse transoms, at least one of which has a relatively low elementextending between said wheel pieces, swing hangers pivotally suspendedfrom said frame, elongated leaf springs carried by said swing hangersand extending inwardly of the frame from said wheel pieces, a bolsterhaving spaced members extending transversely of the truck and mounted onsaid springs and movable thereon relative to said hangers and frame andmovable with said han ers and springs relative to said frame, at leastone of said members being located at one side of said transom element,said bolster having a load supporting portion extending between andcarried by said transverse members, said members and portion includingan airpassage, an axle driving motor at the other side of said transomelement and an air conduit positioned at the level of said springs andinwardly of the truck from the inner end of one of said springs andextending over said element and movable independently of said transomand leading from said air passage to a portion of said motor adjacent tothe side of the truck.

WILLIAM H. MEYER.

